This invention relates generally to exterior protective and decorative structure for vehicles, and more particularly to a pickup tailgate retrofit apparatus connectable onto the exposed front or rear surface of the tailgate.
Tailgates for pickup trucks experience a considerable amount of abuse during the lifetime of the pickup truck. This abuse is in the form of either shifting loads within the bed of the pickup truck, weather and road debris exposure and/or impact to the rear surface of the tailgate during loading and unloading and positioning of the vehicle. These tailgates are thus subjected to considerable amount of denting and deformation and accelerated rust and pitting of the paint and underlying metal structure.
Separately, the tailgate of a pickup truck is notoriously unattractive if viewed from the rear of the pickup truck and also creates a considerable amount of wind drag when in its closed, upright position while the vehicle is underway.
The present invention provides an easily manufacturable and installable protective and decorative retrofit apparatus to be structured for connection over all or a portion of either the front or rear exposed surface of the tailgate to both cover preexisting damage and rust which has already occurred and also to prevent further such damage and corrosion. Additionally, in one embodiment, the wind resistance caused by the tailgate in its upright position is substantially reduced. All embodiments are also intended to substantially enhance the aesthetic appeal of the tailgate.